Into Oblivion
by darkmoonvampire
Summary: Elven Mage Sophia Surana was content living in the Circle of Magi tower. But all good things must come to an end. Now she must become a Grey Warden, look death in the eyes, fight off oblivion and save Ferelden. Can She prevail? SuranaxAlistair.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: On That Day, Twelve Years Ago

She remembers the day she was sent to the tower to be concealed from the rest of the Fereldan. She remembers the fear of being alone, the excitement of learning magic and the determination to not become an abomination.

She doesn't remember the sun, the clouds and the birds. She can't remember flowers and pure happiness, she only knows contempt. She can't remember her father's voice or her mother's embrace; in fact she doesn't remember having parents. She knows nothing of the outside world; it has been torn from her just as she has been torn from it.

One her first day she's bullied and thrown across the room by a fellow apprentice, he's older and he hates elves; and all she can think about is _what is an elf?_ He wants her to cry and do everything he says because he's supposed to of noble blood and no matter what they say, he believes he is the master and she is the servant.

The other apprentices just stand and stare in wonder because he is the most talented one of them all and they fear him nearly as much as the Templars. However she is young and these words hold no meaning to her; all she sees is a threat and so she fights back.

She doesn't remember his name, though he was tall and blonde and pale skinned and wore a cocky smirk, his dark blue eyes gleaming with satisfaction and pleasure in trying to force her to submit. She may be small and fragile in appearance, her bright red hair falls just past her shoulders, brilliant emerald green eyes that show her innocence, pale skin as if she's never seen the sun .

She struggles to stand from where she's been thrown across one of the rooms that holds rows of bunk beds to accommodate all the apprentices. She pushes the chest that fell on top of her out of the way and stares into the eyes of her attacker. The other apprentices just continue to stare at you with expressions saying that she is brave but also a fool for standing up to him.

"L-leave h-her a-alone...." A shy voice breaks the silence and all eyes turn on him. He is tall with short black hair and dark brown eyes and he is only a year or two older than she is and it is clear he is terrified but he still found the courage to speak when the others did not.

"Shut up Jowan or you'll join her." The stuck up former noble kid says and spits in his direction, his eyes turning into disgust as they fall back onto the little Elven girl who is standing up to him. "Now little elf, kneel like the servant dog you really are."

She raises her right hand to wipe the blood away from the corner of her mouth and clenches her fists tightly and merely replies "No."

"Then I'll beat it into you!" The older boy claps his hands together and suddenly a bolt of lighting is heading towards her.

She can't explain the strange sensation she feels when she simply raises her left hand up and a magical barrier surrounds her and absorbs the bolt of lightning like it was nothing, before sending out a much larger one in retaliation.

The former noble boy's eyes widen in shock and disbelieve as the lightning hits him and sends him flying out the open doorway and lands in front of where First Enchanter Irving is standing, having just watched the whole scene totally unaware by the apprentices.

Irving reprimands the boy and sends him upstairs to his study. The boy nods and picks himself up off of the floor before limping away down the corridor. The First Enchanter smiles warmly as he walks into the dormitory and stops in front of the little elf.

"A very good display of control and understanding you showed there, especially for someone so young, you're how old my dear?" He knees down so he can be eye level with her.

"Six." She smiles shyly and claps her hands in front of herself and sways forward and back because she fears she's in trouble when in fact she's praised.

"Ah yes, you must our newest apprentice Sophia Surana." He smiles again at her when she nods and he pats her on the head. "Well Sophia I believe you'll achieve great things here."

She remembers that day like it only happened yesterday, when in reality it occurred many years ago. The little Elven girl has grown into a strong fine young woman who is exceptionally talented in the arcane arts. Sophia's hair has grown longer that it now rest at her waist, her slender frame is highly toned under the apprentice robes she wears, she's tall for an elf and if she covered up her ears she could be mistaken for a human, she wields curves in all the right places and she's unbelievably beautiful.

She befriended that shy boy who tried to stand up for her; Jowan and they've been the best of friends ever since and they've taken care of each other and the bond they share is one of family. Thought throughout the years he and all the other apprentices began to envy her more and more as she easily progressed in all subjects and that Irving had his eyes set on her for training her to be the next First Enchanter to replace him.

Sophia Surana has never been one to be afraid of what people think and say about you because it does not matter; only you have to judge and prove yourself to yourself. However today was different because today would change her life one way or another.

Today she undertakes the Harrowing and either becomes a fully fledged mage or becomes an abomination and dies at the hands of the Templars.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's how I perceived how some of the other apprentices would react to having an elf among them even though they're supposed to be treated as equals doesn't meant they did. Anyway please let me know what you thought of it as it's deeply appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Harrowing End

Sophia sighed heavily on her bed as she waited for the Templers to escort her to the Harrowing Chamber. Her hand shook slightly and she clenched it into a tight fist, she has to be strong if she plans to survive this test. _'Come on, pull yourself together. You've survived worse things.' _She says to herself and the images flash across her eyes, another life it almost appears.

She is the strongest apprentice the Circle of Magi has seen in quite some time. So naturally she survived the 'incident' several years ago. She has changed since that day; she can never truly trust anyone again, except her best friend Jowan, who has been her support since she arrived in this prison tower.

"Sophia Surana, your Harrowing has arrived, follow us." The Templers had walked into the apprentices bedrooms and were standing in front of her.

Sophia stood up graciously and moved in front of the two tall Templers and headed out the door into the curving corridor. When she rounded the corner, another two Templers were waiting for them and one walked in front of her, one behind and the two on each side, making sure she didn't try to escape.

The walk to the Harrowing chamber doesn't take very long, but it didn't seem to be quick enough for Sophia. All the looks the other apprentices had given her some concerned while others were angry. The chamber door banged shut and the click of the door locking echoed around the large room.

The large room was dark as it was late at night and only the moonlight shinning through the glass roof was a source of light. A silver pedestal stood at the middle, First Enchanter Irving was standing next to it along with Gregoir. Another dozen Templers stood around in a near complete circle a few metres from Irving and Gregoir.

Sophia walked up to Irving and Gregoir nervously, pulling on a brave face. She finally unclenched her fists and relaxed her body, after all to enter the Fade; she would have to leave her body behind.

"You are about to undertake your Harrowing, should you succeed you will be a part of the Circle, but should you fail..." Irving trailed off, unable to voice the alternative awaiting her.

"You're not allowed to help them Irving, she must do this _alone._" He stressed the alone and gave Irving a dirty look before gesturing his head towards the Fade pedestal.

Sophia's glistening emerald green eyes stared at the pedestal as if it would swallow her whole. _'Relax; you only have to worry about the demons not inanimate objects.' _ She reminded herself and took a deep breath before placing her right hand on the top of it and felt her mind being drawn out of her body.

The Fade looks a lot like a barren wasteland that sometimes seems invisible and always changes shape and forms, as if it is alive. Steeling her mind and heart she races down the only path available, time is of the essence and she doesn't have long before the Templers strike her body down in fear she took too long and was deemed an abomination.

The few wisps that stand in her way are no match for her lighting spell, the only offensive magic she knows, it comes to her as if it is apart of who she is, however the spirit wolves are a little trickier to care of.

She stops suddenly when she sees a spirit mouse standing in front of her, lightning at the ready just in case it is a demon in disguise.

"Ah so they've sent in another one." The mouse speaks to her and changes form into a young handsome man with chestnut brown hair and matching eyes.

Sophia folds her arms over her chest and asks cautiously "Who are you?"

"I was a mage like you, I- I failed, took too long. I- I don't remember my name. It's been s-so long now." His voice is quiet and his eyes glaze over, seeing something that she cannot.

She isn't stupid, far from it in fact, she knows that the being in front of her is a demon simply because he has approached her first before anything else could influence her. An excellent disguise, making him to appear as a spirit of a failed mage, but she knows that a failed mage would have nothing left even in the Fade. Not a concept every mage knew unfortunately.

She decides it would be best to play along for now because it's best to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. "Would you mind assisting me? Perhaps we can destroy the demon that kills all the mages during this trial?" She asks innocently, knowing full well that the demon wouldn't refuse.

"S-sure, though I'm not sure how much help I will be." The essence of the young man shines a little brighter, trying to show how happy he is.

The man changes back into the form of a mouse and hops along beside her as Sophia continues her way down narrow path. A few more wisps and spirit wolves are no real threat to her anymore as she has a demon right next to her.

It doesn't take long before the mouse speaks. "There is a spirit up ahead, he appears strong but he might be able to help us."

Sophia stops and turns her gaze onto the fussy animal sat nearly on her ankles and stares questioningly down at him. "Are you sure? Does he have a name or something?" She doesn't know how much time has passed, but she figures it couldn't have been too long as her companion doesn't seem to be that worried about her safety just yet.

"He is a spirit of Valour I believe. Whether he has a name, that I don't know." The mouse replied and started hopping ahead of her once again. "Just like I call myself mouse, for that is what I am now..." He speaks weakly with a deep sadness in his voice and she almost feels sorry for the creature, but reminds herself it is a demon and so she feels sorry for the being he is imitating, for it would have been a previous mage like her.

After approaching the spirit of Valour and persuading him to create a staff for her to use in the fade, Sophia and 'mouse' continue on the only path available to them and encounter a Sloth demon. At first Sophia is on edge but it soon becomes clear that the Sloth demon has no interested in taking over her body and so she kindly asks it to teach 'mouse' to transform into a bear.

"I will teach you, _if_ you can answer my riddles, that is." The Sloth demon challenges her and she knows she must accept in order to succeed at this test and survive.

"Very well, I am ready for your riddles." She answers, confident that whatever the Sloth demons throws at her, she will solve it easily. She remembers that one of her former instructors used to talk in riddles for no reason, but apparently it was for this very trial.

A couple of minutes later and the Sloth demon teaches her Fade companion how to become a vicious bear and she reluctantly thanks the demon for his time before turning and walking swiftly away back the way she came. She can sense the presence of another Demon that clearly means to hurt her and do Maker knows what else.

Clutching her staff tightly in her right hand and readying a lethal lightning spell in her left, Sophia and 'mouse' run down the path, passing the Valour spirit and heading into a small alcove where the Demon eagerly awaits them. She's sure that is demon's could look snug then it would be right now.

She isn't surprised when the Demon starts talking to her companion, saying things about how they used to work together and how it's disappointed. _'Seriously, you're all demons how can you trust yourselves let anyone else?' _Sophia thinks to herself before dodging out of the way of one the demons attacks.

She lets loose the lightning spell she was holding and dispatches the wisps with ease, however the Demon is far more difficult. She raises her staff and creates an arcane shield just in time to protect herself from another fireball. 'Mouse' had at some point transformed into a bear and lunged at the demon and started clawing at its arms, trying to tear them off.

Sophia fires several arcane bolts at the Demon and casts a healing spell on herself, before releasing one last lightning bolt. With one last swipe of the bears' claws, the Fade Demon melts to the ground and disappears away into nothingness.

"Now that's done, I guess you can leave now." Her companion transforms back into it's human form and smiles weakly at her. The look in his eyes is almost pathetic and vulnerable, but in reality it's far from it. "If only there was a way for us to go back together..." His voice trails off as he thinks of a way to convince her of his plan that he's had all along.

"I know! Why don't you let me in? That way we can go back together! What do you say?" His eyes are pleading like a child's asking for a treat and Sophia knows that this is the true test of the Harrowing.

She holds and points her staff at him, threatening him. "Sorry but I have a no demons allowed policy. You never had me fooled for even a second." She smirks at him and prepares to channel a fire spell through her staff when the mouse demon laughs.

"Clever indeed. We will have you one day, Elf. You can't escape us forever." The look in his eyes told her that it knew about the incident several years and all the memories she tried to keep buried almost overwhelmed her.

Then she felt a change sensation wash over as she was pulled away back into the real world. As the Fade melted away around her she faintly heard the Demon's last words to her.

"True tests never end."

A/N: Sorry for the long delay, I had serious writer's block but hopefully it's all cleared up now. Please let me know what you think.


End file.
